JACKIE MCLEAN Vinilo y CD

Review: Alto saxophonist Jackie McLean's 1960s output ran the gamut from hard bop to the avant-gard, with his 1964 post-bop dates It's Time! and Action splitting the difference. Now reissued for Blue Note's Tone Poet series, this reissue of the latter LP follows up Rudy Van Gelder's 2004 curator's edition; McLean's playing is lithe and limber here, piquing out from each mix - from the opening fan-outs of 'Plight' to the continual peacockings of 'I Hear A Rhapsody' - as if to suggest that McLean himself knows that his instrument resounds at the exact high frequency that naturally commands human attention. With the Tone Poet series primed for audiophiles, you're in for a treat.

Review: Widely regarded as one of Jackie McLean's finest, not to mention most accessible albums, Bluesnik gets the reissue treatment on Blue Note to bring it to the attention of a fresh swathe of jazz fans. Originally released in 1961, it's touted as an early peak for the saxophonist, but let's not overlook the sidemen. Freddie Hubbard absolutely rips on trumpet, while Kenny Drew on keys, Doug Watkins on bass and Pete La Roca on drums all more than match up to the standard for this seminal six-track set.